10 days of happiness

I have reached 10 days of my 100 happy days challenge. I have found a rhythm in balancing my painting, family and healing routine. Long sessions of uninterrupted painting is no longer available, so I do many short but productive blocks of time at my canvases. I have finally found that I am used to multitasking so that has become my creative style too. My creative space is also where I practice my morning yoga so I find myself meditating on the canvases as I go through my asanas. I think about what colors to put where, which part of the painting is working and which is not. I find doing most of my creative processing on my mat useful, perhaps my body and mind is at an open and welcoming state.  When I am ready to put paint on canvas, I execute intuitively. I am learning the key to success, besides having the technical skills of whatever area one is trying to pursue, is knowing your own working style. The traditional way of working is not one size fits all,  I have never been able to sit down in a long session and work, I need to take breaks to think and return later to do more. So far I think the happy challenge is making a difference, I feel content, grounded, and fulfilled. I believe doing something I love everyday has really helped my body to heal, that is why I am practicing daily healing art making. My art brings me comfort, joy, confidence and much much more than I ever imagined.

July feed on Instagram ASTRIDFOX_art

Side by side double canvas at work

call me multitasking or ADD,  this is my set up

100 Happy Days challenge

Today is day 1. I have decide to join the 100 Happy Days challenge with my creative process on Instagram.  I am excited because it feels like I have just signed up at an art gym to work my creative muscles. I have recently picked up my brushes and hitting the paints daily. It feels good. I feel more fulfilled everyday, no matter what obstacles the day brings. Painting was missing for along time in my life.  I am finding a way to paint in short sessions with all the interruptions life brings. Family and healing health had consumed my last year and now it's time to work those creative muscle to get them lean, toned and strong. Follow my #100daysofhappiness on Instagram @astridfox_art.  If you would like to learn more about it go to http://100happydays.com and find out more. Get happy, I dare you.

All my children

Today's Palette

It's interesting how I allow my personal growth and gut healing journey to be work in progress, yet I expect my artistic journey to be ready for presentation faster.  I am looking at them as all my children; my youngest is my gut healing, it has been all I focus on because it has been crying the loudest. It need a lot of care and patience but I feel I am finally getting a hang of how to take care of this baby. My personal growth is my middle child, it's always been there, not much complains, going along with everything. It's quiet. My eldest will be my art. I have greater expectations from it because the concept has been with me the longest. I went to art school, I painted religiously before my real kids were born so I expect that I can pick up a pencil or brush anytime and can produce work ready for show.

So how do I get my creative juices pumping like my healing juices?  I just need to do it more without expectations. By making more rough sketches, doodles, experiments,  I can build a library of references to use later. The most fitting part about the title of this post is the best way get back into my art is through my children. They can produce work intuitively without hesitation. I learn that I don't need to wait for the perfect moment to start painting. Today I painted with my 4 years old drawing beside me and later jumped from one side of the room to the other while I continued to paint.

His canvas 

Abstract Expressionist at work

My canvas